Today: Riding a bike is just like riding a bike.

Wondering how to unpack from a two week trip on ten seconds flat? Tip your suitcase over and dump everything directly into your laundry bin.  Your zebra clutch and nearly empty bottle of SPF45 are machine washable, right?  Who cares.  You’re unpacked.

After picking up our much missed Frenchie from his stay at The Pawsitive Dog, I employed my signature unpacking technique, and immediately began repacking for a girls’ weekend at Mohegan Sun with Tina, Anne, Theodora and Julie.  Married life is agreeing with me so far– two weeks of turquoise seas followed by two days with lovely friends?  I do.

We set out Saturday morning (by limo, no less) to meet Rich and June of Mystic Bike Rentals at Mystic River Park, where Michelle at Mohegan Sun organized for us to take a bike tour of the area.  Let it be known that I have ridden a bike once in the last ten or fifteen years.  My friend Meg and I rented ‘cycles at a shop near the West Side Highway for what was intended to be a leisurely roll (I think that’s what you’d call a stroll on wheels?) along the Hudson.  I nearly crashed a thousand times, got verbally abused by passing rollerbladers, and couldn’t feel my butt cheeks for two days.  Don’t get me wrong – I had a great time, but it wasn’t exactly the smoothest reentry to the world of bike riding.

You can imagine my fear, then, at the thought of hopping back on a bike yesterday.  Theodora assured me it would be “just like riding a bike,” but my anxiety only grew when Rich said something about gear shifting.  Gear shifting?  Is that like shape shifting?  Oh, and traffic.  There was mention about riding in traffic.  Like, car traffic.  We all know I have an active imagination.  I am my own worst enemy that way.  Unfortunately (or fortunately) our limo had already departed, so there was no chance of escape.  I cautiously kicked a leg over the bike seat and stepped on the pedal.  After a little wobbling, several Hail Marys, and a close call with the curb, I remembered to resume breathing.  And I remembered why I spent so many hours as a kid riding up and down the driveway.  It’s fun.  Plain and simple.

June stayed by my side for the first fifteen minutes or so, chatting and giving me tips along the way.  This really helped calm my nerves.  Soon I was enjoying the gorgeous scenery while listening to Rich talk about local industry and history, rather than imagining what it might be like to fall off the bike and somehow get my ponytail tangled in the chain.  Or whatever.

We made a stop at the picturesque B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill, the country’s oldest steam powered cider mill.  The mill produces cider, hard cider and apple wine and offers samples on site.  I tried a sip of Yellow Jacket, a hard cider and orange juice blend.  I was tempted to try the Blackout variety, but I can’t imagine me + anything called “Blackout” + an activity requiring helmets would add up to anything good.

By the time we made it back to Mohegan Sun, I realized my pal was right.  Riding a bike is just like riding a bike.  And giving something a second or third chance – especially when it’s something fun – is the perfect reason to kick fear to the curb.

Also On Tap for Today:

• Making sure I really didn’t put that clutch in the washing machine
• Getting reading for the real world (my life, not the show)
• Visiting with family

Have you given anything a second chance lately?